Those Legendary Piper Cubs: Their Role in War and Peace

by Carroll V. Glines

A history of the world-famous Piper light planes from their origin as a brainchild of Clarence G. Taylor through the series of fabric-covered, high-wing, single-engine descendants that preserved the aircraft's general profile. The ultimate success of the company through many crises was due to the philosophy of William T. Piper, Sr. who believed that light planes for student instruction and airport flying services could be produced profitably at low cost. He became known as "the Henry Ford of aviation" as the company produced more light aircraft than any other manufacturer in the world. The text includes many uses of the various models, interesting modifications and experimental spin-offs. It concludes with accounts of several adventurers who flew their vintage Cubs without radios, blind flying instruments or navigational aids.

176 pages, Hardcover

First published March 31, 2005

About the author

Carroll Vane Glines, who retired from the United States Air Force as a colonel after twenty-seven years of service, is historian for the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders and curator of the Doolittle Library at the University of Texas at Dallas. He has been published in a number of publications and written and co-authored numerous books on military and aviation history.

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw Warren Piper demonstrate a short field landing at the Miami Air Show in 1950.

He landed the plane then hit the right brake and held it and that airplane spun around just like a top.

Seeing that saved my life because I had to do it once to prevent hitting a fence while in a PA-12 Super Crusier.

If you hit BOTH brakes - on a tail wheel airplane - then the airplane will flip right over in a somersault.